ALTOONA, Pa. — Gracie Rice is all over the world. In just a few short years, she has become one of the best young weightlifters in the world, and for the second year in a row, Bellwood Antis Jr. has qualified for the 2024 Youth World Championships in Lima, Peru.
“I need to hit the lifts consistently. I’ve been hitting a lot of lifts consistently since training, and hopefully the opener, so I’m ready to be successful,” Rice said.
This winter, she won her second consecutive national title at the North Carolina Youth National Championships, earning her a spot in her second international tournament.
“I hit the first shot that I needed to qualify, and then I had a little bit of trouble in the snatch,” Rice said. “But I was successful on my third attempt, which was supposed to be my first shot, and hit the total number of shots I needed to qualify, so I qualified.”
It’s the second year in a row she’s qualified to compete on the world stage, and it’s another opportunity to travel overseas and compete against some of the best youth weightlifters in the world, a great opportunity for the Bellwood teenager. .
“I’m very excited, especially since I’m from a small area and I love going and I’ve met so many people through it. So to go to the world last time and lift it up again with the people I met. ,” Rice said. . “I’m really looking forward to seeing them again.
At last year’s World Championships she lifted 142kg and finished 20th. This year her goal is to get up to 160kg, which would give her a good chance of finishing in the top 15.
Gracie has only been weightlifting for four years. Her rise in youth weightlifting has been overseen by her coach and her uncle, Fred Dorman.
“As you progress through your sport, one of the big things as you get older is improving your technique and improving your strength,” Dorman said. “So we’re at a certain stage right now with Grace. We’re just trying to get stronger. The first few years were just kind of a technical development. Once you start learning how to move properly, you can really start building strength.”
As the first Blair County athlete to compete in a world championship in weightlifting, her ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics one day.
